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Looking for a show-stopping, patriotic dessert that’s as delicious as it is beautiful? This American Flag Cake is your go-to recipe! It starts with a moist vanilla cake base, is topped with a lusciously light whipped cream cheese frosting, and decorated with fresh berries and cherries arranged like the U.S. flag.
I had to sneak one more recipe before the 4th of July comes tomorrow! This is the ultimate Flag Cake recipe and what makes it unique and special? It is the FROSTING! I am pretty sure that I could eat an entire bowl of this frosting. It is creamy, silky smooth with just the right amount of sweetness.
What’s the secret? The frosting calls for whipped heavy cream folded into cream cheese, powdered sugar, and a touch of vanilla bean. It is a lighter version of cream cheese frosting and it is a family favorite! I use it on my Chantilly Cake Recipe and it always a hit!
Then, it is decorated with gorgeous summer berries — raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, and cherries. We love a beautiful flag cake!
Whether you’re hosting a Fourth of July BBQ, Memorial Day picnic, or just want something red, white, and blue, this cake is a festive favorite that tastes even better than it looks!
If you are looking for more festive 4th of July dessert recipes, check out my Sugar Cookie Flag Fruit Pizza Recipe.
Flag Cake Ingredients:
Start with a homemade moist vanilla cake and top it with a fresh whipped cream cheese frosting and then decorate a flag pattern with fresh fruit and pipe stripes with frosting. This is such a beautiful and festive 4th of July dessert!
VANILLA CAKE:
- Eggs
- Egg Whites
- Buttermilk
- Oil: I suggest using a neutral oil such as canola or vegetable oil.
- Vanilla
- Sugar
- Cake Flour: Lower protein content than all-purpose flour, resulting in a lighter, more tender cake.
- Baking Powder
- Salt
- Unsalted Butter (softened and cut into cubes)
WHIPPED CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
- Heavy Cream
- Cream Cheese
- Powdered Sugar
- Vanilla Bean Paste
FRESH FRUIT:
- Fresh Blueberries or Blackberries ( or both for the stars section)
- Fresh Strawberries or Raspberries (or both for red stripes)
- Optional: Fresh Cherries (may pit and slice in half)
How to make a Homemade Flag Cake with Fresh Berries:
You can be so creative with this cake and customize it just how you like it. I use fresh raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, and cherries…but you can use only raspberries and blueberries if you prefer.
HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE VANILLA CAKE:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a stand mixer or with hand mixer, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Beat the butter into the flour mixture, one cube at a time. Continue to beat until it resembles coarse crumbs
- In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. For extra loft, whip the egg whites in a bowl until soft peaks form. Add 1/2 of the egg-milk mixture and beat the batter is light and fluffy. Add the remaining egg-milk mixture and mix just until combined.
- Lightly spray a 9 x 13 cake pan with non-stick cooking spray. Pour batter into cake pan. Bake for 28-32 minutes. Remove cake from oven when toothpick or cake tester comes out clean. Let cool before removing from pan.
- If you are inverting the cake onto a platter, run a knife along the sides of the cake to help loosen it. Flip the cake onto the serving platter.
HOW TO MAKE FROSTING:
- In a bowl, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form.
- In another bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add powdered sugar and vanilla to the cream cheese, and whip until smooth and fluffy.
- Gently fold whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture. Chill until ready to use.
HOW TO DECORATE THE FLAG CAKE:
- Once the cake is cool, spread a generous thick layer of frosting over the entire surface and on the sides of the cake as well (if the sides are shown).;
- Fill the upper left section with tightly packed blueberries or blackberries (this is the “stars” field).
- Use raspberries, sliced strawberries or cherries to make red stripes, alternating with frosting swirls (white stripes) using a large star tip.
- Pipe the white swirls in long stripes across the cake. For a fun, swirly look, hold the star tip at a 45° angle and make a soft zigzag motion.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Can I use boxed cake mix instead?
Yes! A vanilla or white cake mix works fine. Follow package directions for a 9×13 cake. Make sure not to overbake a boxed cake mix.
Can I use frozen berries?
Fresh is best! Frozen berries can bleed and get soggy.
Can I pipe rosettes instead of stripes?
Absolutely! Rosettes using a star tip still give a striped effect.
Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes. Bake the cake a day in advance. You can cover it well with plastic wrap and place it in the freezer as well. Frost and decorate the morning of your event for best freshness.
Is this frosting super sweet?
Nope! It’s lightly sweetened and super creamy — great for people who don’t love a super sugary buttercream.
Storage:
Store the frosted, decorated cake in the refrigerator. Cover lightly with plastic wrap or store in an airtight cake container.Best enjoyed within 2–3 days.
If making ahead, store the unfrosted cake tightly wrapped at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the freezer, and decorate the day you serve the cake.
I hope you love this 4th of July cake recipe! Enjoy!
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Flag Cake
Ingredients
VANILLA CAKE:
- 3 large Egg Whites (beaten in bowl)
- 2 large Eggs
- 1 cup Buttermilk
- 3 Tablespoons Oil
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- 1 1/2 cups Sugar
- 2 1/4 cups Flour
- 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
- 3/4 teaspoon Salt
- 1 cup Butter (cut into cubes)
WHIPPED CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
- 2 cups Heavy Cream
- (2) 8-ounce pkgs. Cream Cheese (softened)
- 2 1/2 cups Powdered Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Bean Paste or Extract
FRESH FRUIT:
- Raspberries
- Strawberries
- Blueberries or Blackberries (or both)
- Cherries (optional)
Instructions
VANILLA CAKE:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a stand mixer or with hand mixer, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Beat the butter into the flour mixture, one cube at a time. Continue to beat until it resembles coarse crumbs.
- In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. For extra loft, whip the egg whites in a bowl until soft peaks form. Add 1/2 of the egg-milk mixture and beat the batter is light and fluffy. Add the remaining egg-milk mixture and mix just until combined.
- Lightly spray a 9 x 13 cake pan with non-stick cooking spray. Pour batter into cake pan. Bake for 28-32 minutes. Remove cake from oven when toothpick or cake tester comes out clean. Let cool before removing from pan.
- If you are inverting the cake onto a platter, run a knife along the sides of the cake to help loosen it. Flip the cake onto the serving platter.
FROSTING:
- In a bowl, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form .In another bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add powdered sugar and vanilla to the cream cheese, and whip until smooth and fluffy.
- Gently fold whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture. Chill until ready to use.
HOW TO DECORATE FLAG CAKE:
- Once the cake is cool, spread a generous thick layer of frosting over the entire surface and on the sides of the cake as well (if the sides are shown).
- Fill the upper left section with tightly packed blueberries or blackberries (this is the “stars” field).
- Use raspberries, sliced strawberries or cherries to make red stripes, alternating with frosting swirls (white stripes) using a large star tip.
- Pipe the white swirls in long stripes across the cake. For a fun, swirly look, hold the star tip at a 45° angle and make a soft zigzag motion.
- Keep covered in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Notes
Yes! A vanilla or white cake mix works fine. Follow package directions for a 9×13 cake. Make sure not to overbake a boxed cake mix.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This cake is so amazing!!! I’m obsessed with the frosting
Thank you for making it Amber!